While it might feel daunting to start a series based on a hugely popular IP you know nothing about, it doesn’t have to be. Those who started watching Halo when its first season premiered on Paramount+ in 2022, but hadn’t played the games, know this all too well. Despite using material that has dominated pop culture for decades, the TV series is as much for new fans as it is for old ones. Now, it’s finally returning for season two.
But, if you still haven’t taken the plunge into Halo but want a primer before the highly anticipated new season premieres exclusively on Paramount+ come February 8, you’ve come to the right place. Here are all the must-know details about Halo to get you prepped for season two.
You Don’t Need to Have Played the Games to Understand and Love the Series
The most important thing to know about Paramount+’s Halo is that no prior gameplay is required. This isn’t a series where you have to know decades’ worth of lore just to understand the gravity of a minor plot point. Nope, this series is as much an introduction to the world of Halo for new fans as it is a re-imagining of the world long-time fans have come to know and love. Of course, certain names, faces and places pop up that’ll delight lovers of the franchise, but new fans will never feel left out of the conversation.
What Makes Master Chief So Special?
Master Chief has been a pop culture enigma for years, but Halo lets us in on what makes him so special. Master Chief, or John-117, is a genetically enhanced supersoldier created by the United Nations Space Command’s program. His strength, reflexes and resilience are heightened big-time, making him the ultimate hero.
Except, throughout Season 1, we get to know John beyond his helmet and his gun. We’re hinted towards his traumatic past, and we learn of his internal struggle, questioning whether the UNSC really have as pure of intentions as they claim. With a mysterious and heavy backstory, coupled with very real emotional conflict that we can all relate to, makes him the best hero to explore this world with.
How Did Master Chief Get This Way?
Of course, Master Chief didn’t just appear genetically enhanced out of thin air. Someone made him that way, and that someone is Dr. Catherine Halsey. Dr. Halsey is the mastermind behind the Spartan-II program, responsible for creating supersoldiers like John.
She’s fascinating, for sure, but the consequences of playing God are explored deeply throughout Halo. Dr. Halsey’s contributions to society have definitely helped, but when we pry into what she’s had to sacrifice, and the ethics she’s had to abandon, to get there, we’re left wondering: is she really a hero, or was she always a villain?
Who Are These Supersoldiers Fighting Against?
The primary antagonists of Halo are called The Covenant. They are an alien alliance that worships the Forerunners, an ancient and extinct race. Their goal: wipe out humanity, because they see the human race as an affront to their own gods.
The Covenant are religious fanatics, to say the very least. They’re aggressive in their determination, but Halo makes sure to give us glimpses into what can potentially make them crack.
Who Else Do I Need to Know About?
Besides Dr. Halsey, the UNSC, The Covenant and the legendary Master Chief himself, there are a few key characters in Halo that not only help bring this story to life but help us make sense of this ever-expanding franchise.
You’ve got Kwan Ha, an insurrectionist who at first finds herself entangled in the conflict between the UNSC and the Covenant. She bonds with Master Chief, too — but Master Chief also killed her father, an insurrectionist leader, during a mission.
Then there’s Miranda Keyes, who displays fierce leadership in the face of conflict. The daughter of Captain Jacob Keyes, her view of the world becomes far less clear-cut than what major entities like the UNSC would have her believe.
Finally, there’s Makee, perhaps the most enigmatic character of them all. She’s presented to us as a human raised by The Covenant, but she and John form a very powerful emotional connection over the course of Halo’s first season. But can the influence of The Covenant ever really be shed?
Now you’re all prepped and primed on the most important aspects of Halo, be sure to catch up on everything you missed in Halo season one on Paramount+. Then, lose yourself in the new adventures of Master Chief when Halo season two lands exclusively on Paramount+ on February 8.